Kuwait’s Ministry of Information has found that a biometric system installed to check attendance has actually revealed that some employees who have left for overseas are still claiming salaries.

Ministry sources told the Arab News that the fingerprint attendance system uncovered many employees who continued to receive their monthly salaries although they were absent from duty for several years, in addition to those who traveled abroad without permission and even some held behind bars on legal issues.

The same sources told the newspaper that the authorities next month will start deducting salaries and hold absentees accountable for their actions, along with those who skip the fingerprint attendance system on a regular basis.

They noted the implementation of the system has uncovered the reality of all problems and complications the ministry endured throughout the years, and last week, about 3,000 of the estimated 7,500 employees were compelled to apply for leave.

The fingerprint system was adopted by the Ministry of Information upon directives from the sector minister Sheikh Salman Al- Hamoud and Undersecretary Tareq Al- Muzrim who vowed to embark on a journey to reform the ministry’s administrative procedure.